Tangled Web of Spider-Man 2010 Year in Review

[brentlambert]

TANGLED WEB OF SPIDER-MAN 2010: Year in Review

(#1-2) by J.D. Mathis (#3) by Erik Fromme

The Cast: Hornet, Scarlet Spider, Dusk, Steel Spider, Kate Bishop, Prodigy, Spider-Girl, Ronin, Wanderer, Ricochet, Dr. Curt Connors, Nick Fury

Antagonists Faced: Boomerang, Hydro-Man, The Shocker, A.I.M., M.O.D.O.K., The Lizard

Standout Character: Scarlet Spider

Best Moment: The Scarlet Spider is reborn

Overall: I enjoyed J.D.’s two-parter with Hornet and the way he handled the story is sort of how I would like to see Amazing Spider-Man handle its story and supporting cast. I never got lost on who was who, everyone got a decent explanation on who they were without a big info dump, and the characters were distinctive. All qualities I think that a successful serial series needs to have. You can’t jump into a story assuming everyone knows who someone is and thankfully J.D. doesn’t make that mistake. He makes sure to have everyone stand out. The Scarlet Spider being reborned is something I’ve been waiting for awhile now and not in the way that the Initiative title at Marvel proper handled it. The way Erik took it on made me smile because it felt genuine and he was really able to strike at the core of Reilly, a man without an identity who desperately wants one. It’s a bit cliché in terms of clones, but it’s a true theme of the character and Erik doesn’t run away from it.

[Erik]

The exploration of Ben Reilly's identity was done more as a focus simply because I had never written Ben before...or any of the Spider characters...so it was more of an excersise for me to learn about who he is and at the same time establish who he is for our continuity. And I really liked the potential in Ben Reilly as I kinda peeled back that layer and exposed him for who he is at his core. He's Peter Parker in a world that already HAS a Peter Parker. Changing his name only serves to help him not respond to some random dude calling out Peter's name when they're standing right next to each other.

And I don't think it helped that he did serve as Spider-Man. It just cemented him more into a role that I think deep down doesn't feel like it was truly his even when his instincts should be telling him that he IS Spider-Man. So, for Nick to hand Ben the papers that MAKE him Ben Reilly was my attempt to just put that whole thing to bed. Give him a solid identity and in this arc give him a purpose that renews him as we lead up to just exactly HOW he is alive today since we all know that the Green Goblin did more than just 'nearly cripple' him.

So, I'm really looking forward to getting back to Ben Reilly and Curt Connors for the next few issues that hopefully look to explore them both at their core and serve up some fast action too.

[brentlambert]

Yea there was a real degree of symbolism that you hit on there and I think it struck an emotional chord. Because this guy was never really his own person and now he's finally able to say "Hey I'm Ben and nothing else." I think that's a big personal step for him as a character.

[Erik]

I think that's partly why when I had Ben reading a book I gravitated towards 'Frankenstein' to also touch a little on his birth and try to hit the marks I needed to with Ben without really beating anybody over the head with it at the same time.

[Big JD]

Honestly I really enjoyed writing Hornet he was always one of my favorite characters that really never got a chance to stand out among the other heroes. I seriously always thought he could be the next Iron Man but again never got the chance to become the hero he was meant to be.

I hope everyone likes how some of the characters will be growing into different roles along the way in the next couple of stories especially Kate.

I'm really glad the stories were liked by the readers. Hopefully after everything thats happened the past couple months I can get back into the swing of things and put out some more stories.